Share

Boards at the Olympics: Day Five

Share

Nick Dempsey recorded his best day on the water today, with a second and a third place, boosting him above Poland and Germany into second in the overall results. Boards caught up with Nick as he came ashore:

“Today was better, two good results today, but it’s never nice losing a place and going backwards. I’m not happy about that, quite frustrated.”

Starts

“I was going to say today I had better starts, but at the last start I didn’t. I started on port, next to Dorian and I took him out nicely actually. I lined myself up perfectly, about to head off the line then literally these two dickheads, just crashed full speed head on, straight into each other. So I had to stop. Dorian then goes above, off the line ahead and I have to go around the back. But the race committee just keep setting these port biased lines, so I don’t know, I’ve had a word, they don’t listen to me they do what they like!

Generally, if I can just get into it, get racing and get to the windward mark well I’m away. But I’ve been struggling with the starts this week.”

Almost Two Seconds

“On the fourth lap (of the second race) I took a calculated risk, I don’t really like being beaten by the German so I was quite upset about him being in the front. Well not upset, but I was pretty determined to pass him. Really my only opportunity was to tack 100 yards before the exclusion zone, Dorian was 100 yards behind. I thought he would go all the way out there, I’ll tack here and I should be covered by him, I thought it might give me the opportunity to pass but it didn’t, I was completely shafted and lost a place. So pretty annoyed with myself for taking the risk, but then I had to really and that’s racing sometimes.”

“It certainly seems like that at the moment, it makes the racing harder. Dorian can just race freely and doesn’t really have to cover anyone because he’s got such a good score line. And it means, like with the first race today he can just sail away, hit the lay line and that’s it. Whereas the guys behind me dictate what I do, so it’s the game we’re in. At the moment it’s about protecting the silver and chipping away at the German and the Polish, and it will be the same again tomorrow. Then if there’s the opportunity on Tuesday to have a little play with Dorian and take him down then I will try my best to do that.

It’s the Olympic Games, it’s never going to be easy and Dorian has sailed better than I have so that’s why he’s in the position he is in. I don’t think I’ve sailed badly, it just hasn’t gone as well.”

Rivalries

“No, I don’t have anything against the German! I like him, I just don’t like getting beaten by him! Just some people it’s like that isn’t it.”

Predictions For Tomorrow

“I’m going to win both races. Ben (Ainsle) is going to win his race, and Bart and Perce (Andrew Simpson and Iain Percy) will win their race.”

Supporters

“The Volvo boat was out there today, Sarah’s on that, so that’s quite nice. It’s always nice when you’re racing, you have to stop yourself racing. I’m thinking concentrate, concentrate! That’s the nice thing about the home Games.”

Newsletter Terms & Conditions

Please enter your email so we can keep you updated with news, features and the latest offers. If you are not interested you can unsubscribe at any time. We will never sell your data and you'll only get messages from us and our partners whose products and services we think you'll enjoy.